Cycling is about "Safe exercise" and "Safe low-emission travel" The Health and Fitness objective is UNDERMINED if the means of exercise is UNSAFE! This blog STRONGLY OPPOSES certain reforms VicRoads is currently considering: “cyclists could be allowed to treat red lights as Give Way signs. And the same could also APPLY at pedestrian lights."
Also "PERMITTING cyclists, riding cautiously, to proceed past a stationary tram;" "allowing teenagers to ride on footpaths"(Herald Sun)PDowe

Saturday, August 16, 2014

"ONE-punch killers will spend at least 10 years in jail under a tough new law to be unveiled in State Parliament this week.""The new regime will see anyone who punches or strikes someone in the head without warning, causing their death, guilty of manslaughter with a 10-year statutory minimum non-parole period.""The 10-year sentence under the new Victorian law will apply whether the death is caused by the punch, or by the person striking their head as they fall."

Coward punch thugs face 10 years’ jail under

Danny Green: One Punch, Can Kill

ONE-punch killers will spend at least 10 years in jail under a tough new law to be unveiled in State Parliament this week.

And under the new anti-violence crackdown, anyone convicted of manslaughter in a gang attack will also have to serve a decade behind bars.

The new legislation, to be introduced by Attorney-General Robert Clark, will give Victoria the strongest laws relating to one-punch deaths in Australia and comes after a number of such killings around the nation.

The Sunday Herald Sun has campaigned for the coward punch laws since 2007 and the changes were yesterday welcomed by campaigners against alcohol-fuelled violence.

Hugh van Cuylenburg, CEO of the Step Back. Think. campaign, founded in the wake of the horrific injuries sustained by on punch victim James Macready-Bryan in 2006, backed the law.

“I think it really accurately reflects society’s view on this whole issue,” he said. “Everyone’s had enough of street violence. This is about taking a stand from a deterrence point of view, saying this sort of violence won’t be tolerated.”

Attorney-General Robert Clark said the legislation would also mandate long stretches in prison for vicious gang attacks that caused death.

“There have been horrific and terrifying attacks in which gangs viciously kick and stomp a victim, resulting in death,” he said. “This will better protect the community by deterring these gang attacks and by putting violent gang offenders behind bars for longer.”

On New Year’s Eve 2012, I received a phone call that no mother ever wants to hear.

I was told my beautiful ­22-year-old son David Cassai had been attacked by a group of young men in Rye, he had been resuscitated and was to be taken by air ambulance to The Alfred hospital.

Hours later, doctors told me there was nothing more they could do for David, such was the trauma he suffered from one devastating punch to the head.

Caterina Politi, whose son David Cassai died from a single punch in 2012. Picture: Brendan Francis

My son’s life was ended in a split second when a closed fist became an instant weapon in a mindless act of aggression.

Life-support machines kept David’s heart beating for another 30 hours to give us all time to say the hardest goodbye and also so David’s organs could be harvested as he mentioned in previous conversations that was something he wanted to do.

To further understand David’s character about 30 minutes before this senseless attack David paid for a stranger’s bus fare from the Portsea Hotel, but that was not enough to keep him from danger.

The case is before the courts so I’m limited in what I can say. However, my focus since David’s death has been to prevent other mother’s from going through the same anguish.

Surely it is a basic human right for any person to walk down the street and not be ambushed, hurt or killed?

For this reason, family and friends of David decided to launch the “STOP. One Punch Can Kill” campaign to lobby the State Government to introduce minimum sentences for one-punch perpetrators and to raise awareness that one punch can and does kill.

We held a rally in Doncaster, sold and gave away wristbands and T-shirts to support the key message while a petition collected more than 11,000 signatures. Our Facebook page has attracted more than 10,000 “likes”.

I believe a 10-year minimum is appropriate for one-punch/coward/king hit/death by punch.

This minimum will be the new zero and judges should be able to add to that depending on individual circumstances.

We all need to work together to change attitudes and I thank the Victorian Government’s proactive change to address this gross lack of justice.

"More than 90 Australians have died in single-punch assaults since 2000."

"Monash University researchers found that alcohol was involved in almost three-quarters of cases, with deaths caused by the initial force of the blow or the trauma of the skull hitting the pavement."

NEWS

One punch now equals 10 years

EDITORIAL

SUNDAY HERALD SUN

AUGUST 17, 201412:00AM

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ONE punch, one moment of inexcusable thuggery, is all it takes to end a life and destroy two families. And Victorians have had enough.

The State Government will this week reveal new laws — the toughest anti-violence crackdown in Australia — that will see one-punch killers spend at least 10 years in jail.

The Sunday Herald Sun has been campaigning for this tough stance against alcohol and drug-fuelled violence since 2007, following the death of Shannon McCormack.

The 22-year-old was leaving a city nightclub with friends when he was punched as he tried to break up a fight. The blow caused him to hit his head on a wall and the footpath, and he died in hospital a week later.

Witnesses told the inquest that Shannon’s attacker took a run-up from behind and punched him to the side of the head.

No warning. No reason. No chance to defend himself.

More than 90 Australians have died in single-punch assaults since 2000.

Monash University researchers found that alcohol was involved in almost three-quarters of cases, with deaths caused by the initial force of the blow or the trauma of the skull hitting the pavement.

But we cannot forget the bigger and unknown number of young men who did not die from their injuries, and are instead left with lifelong brain damage.

Robbed of the ability to perform basic functions such as walking and talking, many of these men and teenagers will end up in nursing homes while still in their 20s.

Seven years after former law student James Macready-Bryan was king hit on his 20th birthday, he has just learned to smile again but still cannot communicate.

The new laws, which aim to deter young men from throwing that one punch, have been welcomed by families who have lost loved ones to drunken violence, including Caterina Politi. Her son, David Cassai, 22, was allegedly killed by a single blow on New Year’s Eve 2012.

Since his death she has led the campaign “STOP. One Punch Can Kill”, collecting more than 11,000 signatures to push for the State Government to legislate for mandatory minimum prison terms for these types of crimes.

“Surely it is a basic human right for any person to walk down the street and not be ambushed, hurt or killed?” Ms Politi told the Sunday Herald Sun.

Western Australia has had “one-punch laws” since 2008, and the Northern Territory since 2012. In January, NSW brought in a mandatory eight-year prison term for drunk offenders who hit and kill someone.

The law was brought in after the public outcry at the minimum four-year jail term received by Thomas Kelly’s killer.

The 18-year-old was punched in an unprovoked attack in Sydney’s Kings Cross last year.

Daniel Christie, 18, was also attacked in the same nightclub district last New Year’s Eve. He was left in a critical condition for 11 days before his family decided to turn off his life support.

Some have attacked mandatory jail terms as a kneejerk response, which will do little to tackle the real problem of drink and drug-fuelled violence.

But as Premier Denis Napthine told the Sunday Herald Sun, this 10-year minimum term is about sending a strong message about the consequences from one moment of violence.

Young men must learn that the alcohol-soaked one punch — the coward punch — is not manly. It is not brave or tough. It is not necessary for anyone’s honour, reputation or street cred.

The Sunday Herald Sun believes cowards need to be dealt with using tough measures that the community expects.

A clenched fist is a lethal weapon that can end one life and change many more lives forever.